Shraddha Verma

THE CREATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF INDIA: THE FIRST STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIGENOUS ACCOUNTING PROFESSION POST-INDEPENDENCE

This paper applies the theoretical framework proposed by McKinnon [1986] to the creation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) which represented an important change to the accounting system in India post-independence. The development of the ICAI is categorized into three phases: source, diffusion, and reaction. Intra-system activity, trans-system activity, and the socio-economic and political environments are shown to influence all stages of the change. Within these phases, the paper focuses on the involvement of the state in the development of the ICAI, credentialism and the importance of the title “chartered,” the disciplinary powers of the ICAI, and the issue of mutual recognition and reciprocity with foreign professional accounting organizations.

Valuing human resources: perceptions and practices in UK organisations

Despite Government and academic interest in valuing human resources, there has been relatively little progress in reflecting the value of human resources in UK organisations. This research uses a survey questionnaire to identify perceptions and practices in the area of valuing human resources in three types of UK organizations; traditional companies, knowledge intensive companies and local authorities. The survey focuses on the importance of valuing human resources, current measurement practices, key barriers to the valuation of human resources and the progress expected in this field over five years in UK organisations. Although the majority of respondents identified that the measurement/valuation of human resources was important to their organization, only little or moderate progress in recognizing the worth of human resources in financial statements was expected. The main reasons for this were identified to be lack of understanding and support of the area by others in the organization, particularly senior management, lack of resources, uncertainty as to what information should be reported and lack of precision and reliability in current human resource measures. The research identified that there is more interest in the area from human resource professionals than accounting professionals and that valuation of human resources should be included in internal reports rather than reported externally. More research is now needed, both on conceptual models for valuing human resources within organizations and empirical research focusing on issues such as gaining commitment to valuing of human resources by senior management, the development of systems of valuing human resources, how systems to value employees, when developed, are implemented in organisations and the consequences, both intended and unintended of how the systems operate in practice.

The business of protection: Bass & Co. and trade mark defence, c. 1870-1914

This article uses a case study of Bass to examine the business and accounting history of trade mark defence in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We employ a variety of business, legal and parliamentary records to discuss the measures they adopted to prevent trade mark infringement. The central arguments of this article are that Basss trade marks were susceptible to infringement because of weaknesses in its business structure, and these, in turn, necessitated a robust defence of its trade marks both before and after the Trade Marks Act, 1875. Of particular interest, we demonstrate that Basss reliance on the free trade was financially successful, in marked contrast to the predictions of Chandler, and the financial performance of the big London brewers who relied heavily on tied estates.

Oil multinationals and governments in post-colonial transitions: Burmah Shell, the Burmah Oil Company and the Indian state 1947–70

Abstract Using the post-colonial perspective of hybridity, this article analyses how two British companies, the Burmah Oil Company (BOC) and Burmah Shell (BS) adapted to changes in the socio-economic environment from Indian independence in 1947 until 1970. Post-colonial theory is useful in exploring the continuing imperial influence, the changing relationship between BS, BOC and the Government of India (GOI) and the impact of this on the operations of BOC and BS post-independence. The approach recognises that the relationship between BOC, BS and the GOI was complex with differing levels of co-operation and tension existing between the three parties throughout the period.